Totalizer for counting machines



Oct. 10, 1939. f A VAN VEEN 2,175,621

TOTALIZER FOR COUNTING MACHINES Filed Aug. i9, 193e asheets-sheet 1 C fm L /77' TURA/Ey.

Oct. 10, 1939. A. VAN VEEN TOTALIZER FOR COUNTING IACHINES Filed Aug. 19, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 y. RN E N O NT H Wwf N.

Patented Oct.

2,175,621 TOTALIZER FOR COUNTING MACHINES and on each of wh Anton Van Veen,

to The Denomina West Hartford, Conn., assignor tor Company,

New York,

N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 19, 1936, Serial No.

4 Claims.

ich counters may be registered the number of one particular kind of an article or value. Such adapted counting for use in restaurants machines e object, therefore, of my invention, is/to provide a totalizing counter which may be em- Further objects will be clearly understood from the following description and from the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan machine comprising Figure 2 is a front Figure 3 is an end Figure 4 is ,a Dl and partly in secti Figure 5 is an end of Figure 4.

viewvillustrating a counting my invention.

view in elevation thereof. view thereof.

view on an enlarged scale on line 4 4 of Figure 3. view in section on line 5 5 Figure 6 is an end view in section on line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a f ragmental view illustrating a modification in the construction of the totalizing counter.

Figure 8 is a si modification.

milar view showing a further Figure 9 is a side view in elevation showing my invention as applied to a machine comprising a plurality of units, or banks, of individual counters.

As illustrated in the drawings, the numeral 5 denotes a counting machine comprising a single a series oi counters 6.

a series of registering wheels 8 having numbers 9 marked on the periphery thereo. The said wheels operate to show, through a window I 0, the number of times monly constructed, is as follows:

When the lever I2 is rocked on its shaft I9 by an operator pressing down on the button II, the gear I3 will rotate the member I5 shaft I6 and actuate with it the pawl clockwise direction.

back in a counter-clockwise direction by the spring 22. The forward end 2li-b of the projection will then engage the side I8-b oi the I8 and turn the It is to loe understood that, in each of the individual counters shown, there are three wheels provided which will allow a registration oi three iigures or, in other words, up to 999. Any number of wheels may be used, however, in accordance with requirements. It is also to be understood that the wheel operated by the pawl re isters single digits. The second wheel registers ten digits, and the third, one hundred digits. In other words, the single digit wheel makes onetenth oi a revolution ior each operation of the push button. uEhe second wheel maires one-tenth oi a turn for each revolution of the second wheel, or i'or each one-hundredth operation oi the push button.

I have illustrated in the drawings only that portionof the registering mechanism which is related to my invention. The same consisting oi the mechanism 'for operating the unit wheel of each counter. The mechanism for operating the higher order wheels through 'the operation of the unit wheel is not shown, however, as the same is not a part of my present invention and may be of any iorm such as commonly used in the type of counters illustrated and as well miderstood by those skilled in the art.

ls may be clearly seen lfrom the illustration in Figure 4 oi the drawings, each oi said counters is a self-contained unit and comprises a main shaft tlf@ on which the said registering wheels are mounted. The said shat is provided with an extension at one end and a notch at its opposite end. The counters may be joined together side by side to term a unit, or banlr, and secured together between end plates 2i and by means of tie-rods 'When thus joined, the main shait of each counter is joined to the main sha-it oi the next counter by means of the said projections and notches in said shaft. A re-set knob 3@ is mounted in the end plate 2l and has a stud 3i with a notch for receiving the projection 25 on the main shaft of the counter adjoining the said end plate. Each of the counters comprises a suitable resetting mechanism operable by rotation oi the main shaft thereof but not shown and are thus joined together so that when it is desired to re-set said counters to zero, all or them may be quickly and simultaneously re-set by the operation of the knob iid.

From the above description it will be understood, that my improved counting machine comprises a series of individual counters which are joined in tandem and which may consist of any number of said counters desired. For instance, where the said machine is used in a restaurant to register the number of meals that are served, a counter is provided in the machine for each kind of a meal. In such cases. each counter in the machine is provided with a tag on the front indicating the name of the meal such as steaks. pot roasts. etc. When a meal is served, the operator will `press the push button on the counter designated for that particular meal and'thus register the same thereon so that the machine will show at all times just how many meals of each kind have been served.

In the form of such counting machines heretofore used, it `has been necessary to add the number showing on each counter in order to determine the total number of all the meals sold during a certain period. By my invention, I provide a totalizing counter or, separate counter in each machine for registering the said total in the following manner: In accordance with my invention, the member I in each of the counters arrasar is provided at one end with an operating boss 3i. A totalizing operating shaft 32 is mounted in suitable bearings in each of said counters and extends through all of the counters contained in each unit as clearly illustrated in Figure 4. The said shaft is positioned between the end plates Eil and l lever is contained in each of said counters and splined to said shaft. A totalizing counter which is substantially similar in construction to the individual counters above described,

is provided in said unit. In the said totalizing counter, however, there are four of the registering wheels preferably provided as the said counter may be required to register a total of four figures. The lever il-a is cut oii, as clearly in -Figure 6, and the lever 33d, which is similar to the other levers is reversed on the shait in its relation to the operating boss on the member of said totalizing counter.

The main shaft Sii, oi the totalizing counter, is preferably connected with the main shaft oi the other counters in the same unit. The said main shait however, may be disconnected from the shaft of the other counters so that the totalizing counter can be reset independently oi the other counters. TJ.: desired, the shaft @il in the totalizing counter may be constructed as shown in the modicaton illustrated in Figure l of the drawings, so that it may be set in either a disengaged or engaged position with relation to the shaft of the adjoining individual counter. In this construction, the said main shaft is slidably mounted in its bearings and provided with a re-set knob Sli so that the said shaft may be pulled outwardly, mit independent re-setting oi said counter. [i stop washer 3l', or other suitable means, may be provided on said shaft for limiting the sliding movement thereof by its engagement with the end plate "it or with the casing of said counter. In this construction, when it is desired to cause the said individual counters to be re-set simultaneously with the totalizing counter in the same unit, the said shaft 35 may be engaged with the shaft 2d oi the individual counter by forcing the illustrated V- to the position shown, to perre-set knob 36 inwardly and causing the extension on said shaft to joining shaft.

As shown in the modication illustrated in Figure 8 of the drawings, the end of the shaft iii adjoining the end oi the individual counter may be plain so that it will be at all times independent thereof and the outer end of the said shaft may extend into an opening 38 in the end plate 28 and have a notch 39 to provide means whereby the said main shaft 35 may be engaged by a key, or other suitable means, inserted through the opening '33, for turning the said shaft when it is desired to re-set the totalizing counter.

It will be understood that the said totalizing counter is included as an extra counter in the counting machine and that the same may be so constructed that it can be re-set individually, or connected thereto so that it may be re-set simultaneously with the individual counters. Regardless oi whether the said totalizing counter is connected or disconnected from the other counters, as ar as the ie-setting operation is concerned, it is always so connected to each individual counter, that when any one of said individual counters are operated the said operation thereof will also operate the said totalizing counter and thereby cause to be registered. on said engage the notch 26 in the adtotalizing counter, the total of all of the iuuubw-:s 7a.

showing on all of the individual counters contained in the entire machine. counter will, therefore,'show,

stances, however, as when the totalizing counter is re-set individually, the number showing on said counter may represent the total of operadescribed, and the boss 3| will be moved downwardly, operating the lever 33 and rotating the shaft 32 in a contra-clockwise direction.

In the said totalizing counter, the portion |2-a of the lever l2 is used merely to apply, the action of the spring 22 therethrough for returning the member i5 and pawl I1 to their normal positions.

In the modication illustrated in Figure 9 of may consist of any number of individual counters desired. In such a machine, the shaft 32 on each unit extends through the end of the plate 28 thereof and has mounted thereto an operating lever 4I which is in reversed position with relation to the levers 33 in each of the individual counters.

My improved totalizing counter 34 may be mounted in said machine in any position desired the top one of said levers 4|. 43 which are secured to the ends of the units and project through slots 44 in said bar. Studs 45 are provided in said slide bar in operating relation with each other of the operating levers 4I and 4|-a.

In the modication illustrated, when any one of the individual counters of a unit is operated, the operation thereof will rock the shaft 32, in that particular unit. and the lever 4I associated therewith will slide the bar 42 so that it will rock the lever 4i-a, on the shaft 32 of the unit containing the totalizing counter, in a contraclockwise direction, and cause it to rock -the said shaft 32 in the same manner as above described in a single unit.

It will be clearly seen that the totalizing counter may be mounted at any position Within a unit of individual counters and still operate as described. It will also be seen that, by my invention, I have provided a totalizing counter which can be produced by a simple modification I have also by simply connecting with a unit or bank of a standard form of a counter. provided means whereby,

the said totalizing counter of individual counters, each said individual counters will said totalizing counter.

1. A counting machine of the scribed character deoperation of said pawl, a manually operated member mounted upon a separate shaft on said base for operating said pawl; the said totalizing counter comprising similar number wheels, units wheel and pawl, all of said individual counters and totalizing counter being secured in side by side relation to form a multiple counter unit and having a common rocker shaft extending through all of said counters, a lever on said rocker shaft in each of said counters for rotating the said shaft upon the operation of any of said pawls, and a similar lever on said shaft in the totalizing counter but mounted on said shaft in reversed position with relation to the other levers on said shaft for operating the pawl of the said totalizing counter through the rotation of said rocker shaft by the with and thereby causing operation of said totalizing counter through the operation of either of the others of said individual counters.

3. For a counting machine of the character described; the combination comprising a plurality of individual counters; each of said counters comprising a separate base and a registering mechanism mounted thereon and having an actuating member and means for manually operating said actuating member, a separate counter comprising a separate base and a separate registering mechanism having an actuating member therein similar to the actuating member o each of the said individual counters, a common shaft extending through all oi said counters and rotatably mounted in each of the `eases of said individual counters, means in connection with the actuating member of each of said. individual counters for rotating said shaft, and similar means in reversed position on said shaft for operating said separate counter through the rotation of said shaft upon the Operation oi one oi said individual counters.

4. A counting machine of the character de scribed comprising a plurality oi individual counters; each comprising a series oi registering ait/aaai Wheels mounted upon separate snats, a pawl for rotating said Wheels, an actuating member com prising a pinion for actuating said pawl, manually operated means comprising a gear portion in mesh with said pinion for rotating said actuating member, a common rotatable snai-t extending through all of said individual counters, means in each of said individual counters ioi rotating said in eacli oi said shaft by the actuating member counters, a separate counter, and a similar actuu 'Y ating member therein operable oy the rotation o said common shaiu 

